Debrecen4U October 20, 2026

World-Class Eye Tumour Treatment in Debrecen

The Ophthalmology Clinic at the Clinical Centre of the University of Debrecen has been treating eye tumours with radiotherapy for 40 years, marking the anniversary with an international scientific meeting.

The conference was organised by the Department of Ophthalmology at the Faculty of Medicine and the Ophthalmology Clinic of the Clinical Centre, celebrating 40 years of using ruthenium-106 (Ru-106) plaque brachytherapy in Hungary. The procedure was first used in Hungary in 1986 at the University of Debrecen’s Ophthalmology Clinic, making it a national centre for the treatment of intraocular tumours, according to unideb.hu.

Dénes Páll, Vice-Rector for General Affairs at the University of Debrecen, said the treatment had helped establish the Ophthalmology Clinic as one of the country’s leading centres for eye care. “The Ophthalmology Clinic in Debrecen not only treats common eye conditions but also plays a significant role in managing complex cases that require specialised expertise. Alongside patient care, its important responsibilities include teaching medical students and conducting scientific research,” the Vice-Rector said in his welcoming address.

Bernadett Ujhelyi, Vice-President for Medical Affairs at the Clinical Centre, described the scientific meeting as a celebration of ophthalmology. “The Ophthalmology Clinic and the Day Surgery Ophthalmology Centre are reliable pillars of the Clinical Centre, providing patients with care that meets European standards,” she noted.

The introduction of ruthenium-106 brachytherapy was a major milestone in Debrecen’s more than 100-year history of ophthalmic care. Its potential was recognised by Béla Alberth, a former director of the Ophthalmology Clinic and one of Hungary’s most respected specialists in corneal transplantation. “The treatment represented a major advance both in preserving patients’ sight and improving their quality of life. It also helped the Ophthalmology Clinic develop into an ophthalmic oncology centre,” said Péter Fülöp, Vice-Dean for International Affairs at the Faculty of Medicine. He added that the conference demonstrated how the procedure could foster clinical, educational and research collaborations, benefiting not only current practitioners but also future generations of doctors.

Brachytherapy is a form of targeted radiotherapy used to treat tumours of the eye. In Debrecen, the procedure saves approximately 80 eyes every year. “Ru-106 brachytherapy is an eye-preserving treatment that destroys small and medium-sized tumours inside the eye through local radiotherapy. We use an applicator containing a beta-emitting radioactive isotope, which is sutured onto the eyeball. This procedure can preserve the eye while causing the tumour to regress, allowing patients to avoid surgery involving the removal of the eye,” explained Mariann Fodor, Director of the Ophthalmology Clinic.

More than 40 years ago, Béla Alberth, the clinic’s former director, recognised the potential and importance of this brachytherapy technique. He sent his successor, András Berta, to Germany to study the surgical procedure. Berta subsequently introduced the technique in Hungary. “As a result, the treatment has been continuously available since 1986, and patients with eye tumours travel here from all over the country,” Mariann Fodor explained.

Specialists treating intraocular tumours at the Ophthalmology Clinic regularly update their knowledge at leading tumour centres in Germany and England. Thanks to continuous professional development and advances in medical technology, Debrecen can now also offer eye-preserving treatment for large tumours measuring more than 7 millimetres, which are too big to be treated with an applicator. This is achieved through a complex retinal surgery following external-beam radiotherapy, using a procedure known as endoresection. Mariann Fodor learned the technique at the ophthalmology clinic in Essen, Germany. “With this procedure, the eye can be saved in approximately half of cases involving large tumours, and in many cases patients can retain useful vision,” the clinic director explained.

Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: Debrecen városa (Facebook)